Not Goodbye
by ensiathe3rd
Summary: Alternate ending to 4.9. They would be together again in Mistral. There was no need to say goodbye. If only Nora could truly believe that. Also, Ruby needs a hug.


Something dark and heavy settled in the pit of Nora's stomach. Her heart raced painfully in her throat as the boys shared an embrace. It rang with the tune of goodbye forever. No. NO! They would see each other again, they would get help for Ruby's uncle, and everything would be okay. It had to be. There was no other option. No option that Nora could accept.

She gritted her teeth against the thoughts that invaded her head and tried to get her to succumb to the darkness she had been fighting her whole life. Yes, bad things had happened before, Nora lost people, people she loved. But it would not happen now. History would not repeat itself. It wouldn't. It wouldn't. It would _**not**_.

Nora turned her head from the boys and unbidden, she caught sight of Ruby. Her friend was visibly exhausted and pale, her face glistening with sweat and eyes glistening with tears as the whole weight of carrying her dying uncle settled on her shoulders and her soul. Nora would have happily taken some of Ruby's burden upon herself, but Ruby would have none of it. To salvation or destruction, Ruby would carry the weight that she deemed hers and hers alone. Ruby didn't smile at her as their eyes met, she just stared almost unconsciously in her general direction. Nora didn't know where Ruby's head was, but it certainly wasn't anywhere good.

As the girl swayed slightly on her feet, the thing in Nora's stomach got heavier. Ruby's aura had taken a beating yesterday and she had only barely recovered. A thought came without Nora's permission. It made her feel sick, but as much as she hated it, she couldn't deny the truth. Ruby's uncle wasn't the only one who wouldn't have made a trip up the mountain.

Without a moment to think, Nora flung her arms around Ruby's neck. The girl stumbled slightly and made a tiny noise or surprise, but after a breath, quickly found her balance and wrapped her arms around Nora's middle. Ruby's deep only barely controlled breathing was warm against Nora's neck as Nora's fingers ran gently through Ruby's hair.

It wouldn't matter. It wouldn't matter. It was entirely pointless. She'd see Ruby again. This wasn't goodbye. They'd meet again. Nora was just letting Ruby know that she would miss her while they were apart. It could never be forever. Things were bad, Ruby was upset, and Nora was offering comfort. Any good friend would do the same. That was all. Goodbyes were for those who'd never see each other again. Ergo, this was not goodbye.

Thought that didn't stop Nora from taking in every detail of the girl in her arms. Her short, matted, and messy hair that felt slimy as Nora ran her fingers through it. The scent of sweat, grime, and roses, that hung off her like her dark red cloak. The material of which was filthy and torn. Ruby's soft stuttering breaths that sounded in Nora's ears. Her shaking muscles that rippled with strength that hadn't been there when they met, but had been earned through hard work and trauma. Nora loved it all, because it was a part of the girl she loved. And Nora not for the first time, found herself hating every person who had ever hurt Ruby. But that was for another day.

Ruby took in one last breath before she slowly released her grip. Nora hesitated, holding Ruby for just a moment longer, but gently let her go just the same. Nora could hold Ruby all she wanted when they were all safe in Mistral. Ultimately, this moment would mean nothing once they were back together. This moment had to mean nothing. It was just one hug out of the countless hugs they would share in their lives once everything was back to normal. It wouldn't be their last.

Ruby's face was set in stony determination. It might have set Nora at ease if the girl didn't look so young and sickly and the worry in her eyes wasn't so tangible. She'd be fine though. They all would be. Nora smiled and nodded as she felt Ren step by her side and Jaune stand by Ruby's.

"Take care of each other." Exhaustion bled into Jaune's voice. He was tired too, though Nora supposed they all were. Tired of fighting, tired of losing. But everything was going to be alright. They just had to make it to Mistral.

Nora nodded, like Jaune's request really offered any other option, "We always do." She would take care of Ren, Ren would take care of her. Since the moment they met, that was how it went. Nora had never envisioned wanting to protect anyone else like she did Ren. But looking at the two in front of her, all she yearned was for their safe return to her. And though she might have imagined it, taking form between them was a third, the one she couldn't protect.

NO. Everything would be fine. Ruby, her teammate, her friend, her sister. Jaune, her teammate, her leader, her friend, her brother. They would be fine. They just had to be. Words that she yearned to say caught in her throat. She couldn't say them. Those kinds of words would be just as damning as goodbye, and this was not goodbye. Nora refused.

"Good luck." _I love you._ But Nora had all the time in the world to let them know. Later, when they were together once more.

Ruby smiled, a weak little thing, but Nora drew strength from it regardless. "You too. See you in Mistral." Good, Nora wouldn't have known what she would have done if Ruby had said goodbye.

Ren spoke from beside her, "May your path grant you safe passage."

Jaune grinned, "Thanks. Yours too." and then he turned to Ruby, "Let's go."

Ruby nodded firmly, "Right." The pair gathered themselves one last time and then quickly collected their burden. Nora and Ren watched as they made their way down the path. So many things came to mind as they tried to convince her to shout after her friends. She forced them down. No point in saying them now. Later, for sure, but not now.

Ruby and Jaune turned back one last time and without conscious thought Nora lifted her hand into the air and waved. Not goodbye. Waving when parting was simply an old tradition that said, "A part of my spirit goes with you. Promise to bring it back to me." When they were reunited she would wave once more in greeting and call her spirit back. But until then she wouldn't be whole. So now they had to come back.

She dropped her arm and nodded to Ren. Without a word, they turned and ran down the path. Every step took them further from the rest of their family, but every moment they were apart was another moment closer to seeing them again. And that was all that kept Nora putting one foot in front of the other. She would live, Ren would live, Jaune would live, Ruby would live, Ruby's uncle would live. Nora would hold up her end. She just had to have faith that the others would too.

She just had to believe that the thing in her stomach wasn't getting heavier with every foot that separated them.

 **An: and that's that. really, ruby just needed a hug at this point. hope you enjoyed, please feel free to leave a review if you have time. ensia**


End file.
